South Florida SUP Spots
This directory covers 12 stand-up paddleboard spots from the Palm Beaches down through the Keys, each with a plain guide to difficulty, launch type, and whether rentals are available on site. It is built for paddlers choosing protected water for a first outing or a longer trip. Island Water Sports has outfitted paddlers from four South Florida stores since 1978.
Choosing protected water
Not all of these spots suit a first-timer. Beginner-friendly water is generally flat and sheltered, like the mangrove creek at Whiskey Creek, the lagoon behind Silver Palm Park at Lake Boca Raton, or the marked trails inside West Lake Park. Two spots, Loxahatchee River / Riverbend Park and Phil Foster Park / Singer Island, are rated intermediate, better suited to paddlers with some time on a board already.
Launch types and rentals
Some of these spots are river or lagoon paddles, some are open bay, and one, Sullivan Park / Deerfield Island, puts you straight onto Intracoastal and mangrove-creek water from a floating dock. Eight of the twelve rent boards on site, including Crandon Park / Key Biscayne, Oleta River State Park, and Whiskey Creek; the other four, including Lake Boca Raton and Las Olas Isles Canals, are bring-your-own. Parking ranges from free to a paid lot, and a couple of the state parks add a small entry fee.
Local knowledge since 1978
We opened our first store in 1978 and now run four South Florida locations: Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Pompano Beach, and Deerfield Beach. Paddling the Intracoastal, the rivers, and the bay behind these stores is routine for our staff. If you are after wave conditions instead, check our surf reports at /pages/surf-reports.
Palm Beach County
Broward County
Miami-Dade County
Monroe County (Keys)
FAQ
Which SUP spots are good for a first-time paddler?
Most are. Ten of the twelve are rated beginner or beginner and intermediate, including Anne's Beach, Crandon Park / Key Biscayne, Lake Boca Raton, and Whiskey Creek. Two, Loxahatchee River / Riverbend Park and Phil Foster Park / Singer Island, are rated intermediate only.
Which SUP spots rent boards on site?
Eight of the twelve: Crandon Park / Key Biscayne, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Loxahatchee River / Riverbend Park, Matheson Hammock Park, Oleta River State Park, Phil Foster Park / Singer Island, West Lake Park / Anne Kolb Nature Center, and Whiskey Creek. The other four, Anne's Beach, Lake Boca Raton, Las Olas Isles Canals, and Sullivan Park / Deerfield Island, have no on-site rentals.
Which SUP spots have free parking?
Six of the twelve: Anne's Beach, Lake Boca Raton, Las Olas Isles Canals, Loxahatchee River / Riverbend Park, Phil Foster Park / Singer Island, and Sullivan Park / Deerfield Island. The other six use paid parking, and Matheson Hammock Park and Whiskey Creek also charge a separate entry fee.